50 Trees for 50 Soldiers

In 2014, Hugglescote and Donington le Heath Parish Council asked Llynda Baugh of Spiral Projects to work with volunteers to create an event to commemorate the beginning of WW1. A number of events were planned to happen over one weekend. It was during the planning of these that John Cowley (a nephew of one of the Fifty – Joseph William Cowley) suggested we do something to remember these men. It was realised that there was no memorial that held all of their names together. A piece of granite (the same material that the church is built from) was given by Bardon Quarries and a plaque made. In addition, 50 trees were planted on Millfield Recreation Ground as a living memorial to the men.

 

It was an honour that officers of The Royal Leicester Tigers Association were in attendance. Fifty pigeons (homing pigeons were owned by many miners) were released by the Shadow Secretary of State and one of the trees was planted by Mr. Denis Baker, the son of Walter Saddington Baker and Mrs. Jean Huddlestone, the daughter of Arthur William Hodgetts. The public tied ribbons bearing the soldier's names to the trees. A service was held and Last Post was played. Children from the local school sang.

 

This event has won a number of awards both locally and nationally.